Vehicle lamp and method

Abstract

A vehicle lamp emitting light to a lateral direction can include a simple construction to reduce design limitations, and can achieve desired light distribution characteristics by controlling the direction and intensity of light illuminated in a range covering the front and the side of the vehicle. The vehicle lamp preferably includes: a second reflecting surface for reflecting incident light from a light source to a predetermined direction; a third reflecting surface, arranged forward of the light source and backward of a projection lens and out of a main optical path, for reflecting light from the second reflecting surface toward front; and a fourth reflecting surface, arranged forward of the third reflecting surface and out of the main optical path, for reflecting light from the third reflecting surface to a lateral direction relative at least to a region of light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path.

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:
 a light source;  
 a first reflecting surface located adjacent the light source for reflecting light from the light source toward a front of the vehicle lamp along a main optical path;  
 a projection lens for converging direct light from at least one of the light source and reflected light from the first reflecting surface toward the front of the vehicle lamp;  
 a shutter located in the main optical path of the light from the light source to the projection lens, for blocking part of the main optical path;  
 a second reflecting surface located adjacent the light source for reflecting incident light from the light source to a predetermined direction;  
 a third reflecting surface located adjacent the light source and out of the main optical path for reflecting incident light from the second reflecting surface toward the front of the vehicle lamp; and  
 a fourth reflecting surface located forward of the third reflecting surface and out of the main optical path such that it receives reflected light from the third reflecting surface and reflects the reflected light to a lateral direction relative at least to a region of light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path.  
 
   
   
     2. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein said second reflecting surface is an ellipsoidal reflecting surface having a first focus substantially on the light source;
 said third reflecting surface includes a reflecting surface selected from a group consisting of a parabolic reflecting surface having a focus in the vicinity of a second focus of the second reflecting surface, an ellipsoidal reflecting surface having a first focus in the vicinity of the second focus of the second reflecting surface, and a compound reflector including the parabolic reflecting surface and the ellipsoidal reflecting surface; and  
 the third reflecting surface and fourth reflecting surface are configured such that a first part of reflected light from the third reflecting surface is reflected by the fourth reflecting surface while a second part of the reflected light from the third reflecting surface is directly emitted to outside of the vehicle lamp without reaching the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     3. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 2 , wherein the fourth reflecting surface is attached to a substantially vertical shaft such as to be rotatable about a rotating axis of the substantially vertical shaft. 
   
   
     4. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the third reflecting surface is configured such that a region illuminated by said second part of the reflected light from the third reflecting surface overlaps at least part of the light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path. 
   
   
     5. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     6. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 3 , wherein said fourth reflecting surface is capable of switching between a position for reflecting light toward a lateral direction and a position for reflecting light such as to overlap at least part of one of the region illuminated by the light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path and a region illuminated by the reflected light from the third reflecting surface. 
   
   
     7. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     8. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     9. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the fourth reflecting surface is attached to a substantially vertical shaft such as to be rotatable about a rotating axis of the substantially vertical shaft. 
   
   
     10. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 9 , wherein said fourth reflecting surface is capable of switching between a position for reflecting light toward a lateral direction and a position for reflecting light such as to overlap at least part of one of the region illuminated by the light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path and a region illuminated by the reflected light from the third reflecting surface. 
   
   
     11. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     12. The vehicle iamp according to  claim 9 , wherein said third reflecting surface includes one of a compound reflector and a plurality of reflecting surfaces including a first reflecting region for reflecting incident light toward the fourth reflecting surface and a second reflecting region for reflecting incident light away from the fourth reflecting surface; and
 the second reflecting region of said third reflecting surface is configured such that a region illuminated by reflected light from the second reflecting region of said third reflecting surface overlaps at least part of a region of light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path.  
 
   
   
     13. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     14. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein said third reflecting surface includes one of a compound reflector and a plurality of reflecting surfaces including a first reflecting region for reflecting incident light toward the fourth reflecting surface and a second reflecting region for reflecting incident light away from the fourth reflecting surface; and
 the second reflecting region of said third reflecting surface is configured such that a region illuminated by reflected light from the second reflecting region of said third reflecting surface overlaps at least part of a region of light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path.  
 
   
   
     15. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     16. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one auxiliary lamp located in front of the fourth reflecting surface.  
 
   
   
     17. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the projection lens converges light to a predetermined extent in front of the vehicle lamp. 
   
   
     18. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a front lens covering a light emitting region of the vehicle lamp.  
 
   
   
     19. The vehicle lamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the third reflecting surface is located forward of the light source and backward of the projection lens. 
   
   
     20. A method of using the vehicle lamp as recited in  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing a light source, a first reflecting surface located adjacent the light source for reflecting light from the light source toward a front of the vehicle lamp along a main optical path, a projection lens located in front of the light source, a second reflecting surface located adjacent the light source for reflecting incident light from the light source to a predetermined direction, a third reflecting surface located adjacent the light source and out of the main optical path for reflecting incident light from the second reflecting surface toward the front of the vehicle lamp, and a fourth reflecting surface located forward of the third reflecting surface and out of the main optical path, such that it receives reflected light from the third reflecting surface and reflects the reflected light to a lateral direction relative at least to a region of light emitted from the projection lens along the main optical path;  
 causing the light source to produce light;  
 reflecting the light from the light source to the front of the vehicle lamp with the first reflecting surface; and  
 reflecting light from the light source of the vehicle lamp with the second reflecting surface, third reflecting surface and fourth reflecting surface such that the light travels beyond the projection lens and is subsequently redirected into the lateral direction by the fourth reflecting surface.